


Rodney's Plan

by Lucy410



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-24
Updated: 2014-10-24
Packaged: 2018-02-22 10:29:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2504540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucy410/pseuds/Lucy410
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rodney has a plan</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rodney's Plan

It should have worked. That phrase was all too quickly becoming Rodney’s mantra in Atlantis. Most of the time things did work, he wasn’t overstretching the bounds of modesty with that statement, but it was the things that didn’t work that stayed with him.

“This is definitely the last time I involve myself in someone else’s relationship.” Rodney muttered. “Ow!” He jumped as the panel he was working on sparked and he banged his head on the wall as he tried to scramble away from it. “Certainly not one of my better ideas.”

“For once I agree with you.”

Rodney scowled and steadfastly refused to look over to where Major Sheppard was sitting, propped up against the wall, gun lying across his knees, looking as though he might pick it up and shoot Rodney. That thought made the man gulp and he tried, he really tried, to smile at John.

“If anyone should be grimacing,” John commented, “it should be me. Next time you get us trapped can you please make it somewhere that’s actually big enough for me to lie down.”

“Sleepy?”

“Not yet.” John was clearly upset and in all honesty Rodney couldn’t blame him for that.

It had been a stupid idea anyway and Rodney mentally kicked himself for not being able to come up with something better. This whole plan, that had so miserably backfired on him, had been designed to help John and Carson work out their feelings for each other. He’d known about Carson’s feelings for John for a few weeks now and through several innocent conversations with John, he was pretty sure that the Major felt the same way. The only problem came with getting them to talk. Atlantis was such a hive (Rodney couldn’t help flinching when he used that word) of activity that finding a quiet corner in any part of the inhabited section of the city was impossible. Luring John down into the bowels of Atlantis had been easy. All Rodney had to do was mutter vaguely about anomalous reading in the general vicinity of Elizabeth and she was practically ordering him to investigate them and of course he’d insisted on needing John to protect him. The Major had rolled his eyes but actually done nothing to try and wriggle out of the trip. Getting Carson down was going to be harder and Rodney was yet to think of a plausible but non-life-threatening way. It had all been going so well until John had tripped some sort of Ancient booby trap.

“It was you who triggered the trap.” Rodney snapped, sucking on scorched fingers.

“Because you brought us down here.” John pointed out. “Why? There’s absolutely nothing down here.”

Rodney turned away and muttered about readings.

“You’re jumping at shadows.” John groused.

“And if this shadow had turned out to be a Wraith Major, what then?”

“Fair point.” John conceded.

“It’s not like you have any pressing engagements.”

“Actually I have.”

That surprised Rodney and he looked over at John, who stared guilelessly back at him.

“Who with?”

“That’s not polite Rodney.”

“You want me to be polite?” Rodney couldn’t seem to help himself. Acknowledgement of his responsibility for the situation they were in had shortened his temper.

“Actually with Doctor Beckett since you asked so nicely.”

“Carson?”

“There’s another Doctor Beckett in Atlantis?”

“Funny.” Rodney crouched down in front of the still-smoking panel and gingerly stretched out a hand towards it.

“Be careful.”

“I’m always careful.” Rodney snapped, not letting himself hear the concern in John’s voice. 

“Rodney!”

The scientist had briefly disappeared in a shower of sparks and now he was slumped unconscious against the transparent wall that had them trapped.

“Wonderful!” Shaking his head over Rodney’s ineptness, John carefully placed his gun on the floor and crawled across to the prone scientist. Still breathing, that was a relief although the burns on his hands and face looked as though they would need treatment. The panel was still smoking however so John dragged the man as far from it as he could, which granted wasn’t far and then settled down once more. It was typical of Rodney, John reflected, not only to get them stuck down here in the first place but then to end up unconscious. 

“This time I will make you pay.” John muttered. After all, if he hadn’t known better he would have thought Rodney had done this on purpose. John glanced at his watch, he should have been going to meet Carson right about now and he hoped the doctor wouldn’t be too upset at being stood up. Scowling at his inability to fully straighten his legs in the space available to him John settled back to think about Carson.  
__________________________________________

“Hello Doctor Beckett is everything alright. You look a little lost.” Elizabeth Weir smiled at the man. It wasn’t usual to find Carson loitering in the corridors.

“Aye I’m fine.” But the smile didn’t reach his eyes and he continued to stare down the corridor.

“Carson.” Elizabeth touched his arm and the man jumped.

“I, um.” Carson refocused his gaze onto the woman in front of him. “I’m waiting for Major Sheppard. We um.. we were going to..” Carson stammered and blushed and Elizabeth took pity on him.

“How long ago?”

“Half an hour.” He admitted in a small voice, wondering if perhaps the time he had been stood waiting was too long and now he could feel a blush stealing across his cheeks. “I think I’d better be getting back to work.”

“Wait,” Elizabeth put out a hand to stop him and then activated her radio. “Major Sheppard this is Weir, report please.” There was no reply and Elizabeth frowned. “Major Sheppard went to investigate some strange readings with Doctor McKay almost two hours ago. I think we’d better send out a search party.”

“They could be hurt.” Carson’s voice was full of concern.

“Take Lieutenant Ford and Doctor Zelenka.”

Carson nodded, suddenly workmanlike and Elizabeth had to hide a smile at the change in his demeanour.

“And Carson keep in touch.”  
____________________________________

As the three men set off in search of their colleagues Carson instructed Ford to keep trying the radio. After the sixth time Ford shook his head and snapped at Carson.

“We’re not going to find them that way.”

“Atlantis is a very big place.” Zalenka put in.

Carson nodded miserably, wondering what exactly had prompted Rodney to take off into the bowels of Atlantis so precipitously.

“However,” Zalenka waved a small box at Carson, “if I can get this to work it may lead us to them.”

“It reads bio-signs?” Carson took the box and the instant he did it lit up. He thrust it quickly back to Zalenka. “Just find them.”

_________________________________________________

“They are just around the next corner,” Zalenka frowned down at the box in his hands. “We should proceed carefully, this area of Atlantis would appear to be booby-trapped.”

Carson nodded, although he wasn’t really listening and made to hurry forward but Ford stopped him.

“Stay behind me.”

It was pure agony and Carson silently murmured a prayer that his friends were safe.

“Major!” As they rounded the corner Ford suddenly started forward.

“Careful Lieutenant.” 

That was John’s voice and Carson almost gasped with relief.

“Sorry for standing you up Doc.” John nodded at Carson. “Although as I can’t actually stand up..”

“You’re hurt?”

“No. McKay and I tripped some sort of booby-trap. It’s got us pinned down and there’s not a lot of room back here.”

“How is Rodney?”

“Unconscious.” John shuffled himself sideways so that Carson could see the prone scientist.

Zalenka muttered something and Ford turned towards him. “You say something?”

“Just that it will be a lot easier for me to work on this problem without Doctor McKay hovering above my shoulder.”

“I heard that.” Rodney groaned. “Ow, my head hurts.”

“So what were you doing down here?” Carson crouched down in front of the two trapped men and cautiously reached out towards them. There was a faint shimmer as he touched the invisible barrier and he drew his hand back, frowning.

“McKay’s chasing shadows again.” John replied, smiling at Carson.

“Well it was a bloody silly thing to do Rodney. You could have been killed.”

Grumpily Rodney pulled himself up into a seated position. “Excuse me for caring!”

“Caring?”

Rodney rolled his eyes. “Strange as it may seem I do actually care about things, about people.” He paused. “Zalenka can you work faster.”

“Hey,” John shook his head at Rodney. “Let’s not antagonise the one man who can get us out of here.”

“So why did you come down here?” Carson fixed Rodney with his best ‘doctor’ look.

“You really want me to answer that?”

“I wouldn’t have asked otherwise.” Carson shook his head. “Major did Rodney hit his head on anything?”

“Now you come to mention it.”

“Fine.” Rodney snapped. “If you must know I was trying to get you and John to talk.”

“About what?”

“About you.” Rodney gestured at Carson.

“Me?”

“Both of you.” Rodney sighed. “I’m not sure I’m cut out for matchmaking.”

“I think perhaps I have it.” Zalenka turned around proudly and beamed at his companions.

Gingerly Carson reached forward and this time he was able to take John’s hand in his.

“Finally we can get out of here.”

“Not so fast Rodney. I need to examine you first.”

“I’m fine.”

“I can see burns on your hands and face, so no you’re not fine.” Carson admonished. “Not to mention the fact that you’ve been unconscious.”

John was still sitting on the floor but had taken advantage of the extra space and was trying to coax his legs back to life. “Stop complaining McKay.”

“And what about you love?” Carson turned to John. “Any pains, blurred vision?”

“Just the world’s worst case of pins and needles.” John grimaced. “Nothing to worry about.” He smiled at Carson, who returned it warmly.

Rodney looked from one man to the other. “Love?”

Carson blushed and refused to meet Rodney’s eyes. “John and I..”

“We’re a couple McKay.”

“And you didn’t tell me this because..?” Rodney frowned. “I did all this for nothing?” The man almost sounded plaintive.

John didn’t try to hide his grin but Carson looked at his friend with sympathy. “We appreciate the fact that you care.” He murmured diplomatically.

“How on earth did I miss that?”

“We’ve been trying to keep it under wraps.” John shot a hard look at the scientist.

“In case it doesn’t work out.” Carson held up a finger in front of Rodney’s eyes. “Try and follow the movement,” he coaxed.

“I still don’t understand how I missed it.” Rodney complained but he did at least comply with Carson’s instruction.

“I think you’ve earned yourself a trip to the infirmary.” Carson smiled at Rodney. “We did a good job of hiding that's all. You shouldn’t feel bad.”

“You know now.” John sounded conciliatory. “Just don’t pull another stunt like this one again.”

“Oh you can count on it,” Rodney grumbled. “This will definitely be the last time I try to help anyone.”


End file.
